Cookies for Heaven

[letteropener]

Who: Princess Celestia
When: October 14-21st
Where: All around the Far Shore
What: Princess Celestia brings cookies and, perhaps more importantly, wellness checks to the temples of the Far Shore.


Two things circled each other in Celestia's mind, forming a taijutu symbol in the way each completed the other: A lot of people in the Far Shore really needed some personal attention, friendship, and care; and she had, thanks to practice and effort, gotten quite good at baking cookies.

So each morning, Celestia cheerfully moved dough into her oven on sheet after sheet, the entire kitchen in Inti's temple animated in golden light like Merlin himself had set it all to baking-- and each afternoon, Celestia took wing above the Far Shore, traveling from temple to temple to seek out the inhabitants therein.

So at some point, an alicorn will come knocking at your door, with a bright smile on her face and a basket of cookies floating by her side.

Comments

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki aggressively remains in ignorance of the existence of laundry. How she survived the brief period of time in which she'd fired Ando is a mystery for the ages. ]

I'm managing.

[ She detests being sick. And yet, when she is sick, she can think of nothing but, so she wallows in contemplation of her own misery. It should be a crime, for one so perfect to be brought so low. The world should be ashamed of itself for depriving itself of Shikyoin Hibiki's full radiance, even for the span of a few da....

....This is good tea. ]

[letteropener]

[With her keen wit and outstanding insight, Celestia sets another cup to steep.] I'm glad to hear that. And I hope you mend soon. The Far Shore just isn't quite the same without you at your best.

[That isn't precisely the compliment that Celestia has made it sound like, but it's nonetheless true and meant very well indeed.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki is feeling a bit more up to this conversation already. This is good tea. ] I assure you my recovery shall be splendid.

[ She adjusts on the couch again, always in search of the Ultimate Comfortable Position. ]

[letteropener]

[Celestia is perpetually baffled by human sitting positions on couches, but well, she knows perfectly well they're built quite differently than ponies. So she gives that a pass as she moves about the room, making certain anything out of place gets put back. Clutter is not conducive to recovery, but Hibiki shouldn't be the one to pick up. Her energy is better suited for getting better.] Could it possibly be any other way?

[priforprince]

Hmh.

[ Oh, you got the pleased snort. She is feeling better.

The room isn't too bad, though something has made a point of going through and knocking every picture on the walls off-kilter so they'll irritate Hibiki when she looks at them. Polteageists wait for no plu.

...It also yanks her pillow out from beneath her when she goes to lie down. ]

--Rghk!

[letteropener]

Now stop that this instant. [Celestia immediately fixes the air with a look that only seems mild if one isn't on the end of it. Though the sunpony is generally mild and serene, this flirts with a line she refuses to tolerate.]

[To emphasize the point, every picture on the wall snaps to true vertical in perfect harmony and a flash of yellow magic.]

[priforprince]

You're welcome to expel it if you have the means.

[ This grand permission comes from a blanket log on the couch. Hibiki is too tired to even get angry at teacup ghost's antics, but she's not going to pass up on this opportunipri. ]

[letteropener]

I'm not an exorcist, I'm afraid. But I won't permit a sick person to be bullied.

[If she isn't an exorcist, how can she make that stand? Simple: She's Princess Celestia. Does the poltergeist really want to try her?]

[priforprince]

[ There is a surly whistling noise in the air, but the pictures on the wall remain as they were. A faint line of water droplets makes its way to the door.

Fine. The polteageist will just go have fun elsewhere, for Hibiki to discover later.

Hibiki, on the couch, buried in blankets, sighs. ]

[letteropener]

[Celestia sends a flash of magic racing after it to evaporate the water, letting out a huff as she does. This might be the most genuinely nettled she's been in.]

How DID you come across such a rude ghost anyway?

[priforprince]

It's the hazards of celebrity.

[ No, it's the hazards of being a menace to porcelain. But Hibiki is not about to admit this is her fault. ] When one's amazingness belies comprehension, such grudges may happen.

[letteropener]

Oh, well. Having never attracted such a nemesis, I suppose I should worry about my own standing.

[Apparently gentle teasing is not considered torment enough to be forbidden.]

[priforprince]

No one would dare.

[ Don't examine the contradiction. She won't.

Perhaps it's the plu talking. ]

[letteropener]

[Celestia pauses as she magically reaches for the new cup of tea to pass it over -- then lets out a very unPrincessly snort. One hoof goes up to her mouth to cover her sudden gigglefit.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki cocks an eyebrow and just stares, waiting for her to be done. ]

.....You're a mysterious individual.

[letteropener]

Oh, not in the least. [Whether that's true or not, she's making the claim here and now.] I'm sorry. I was just imagining you meeting Discord, the Spirit of Disharmony, and informing him he shouldn't be mischievous towards me with just that sort of attitude.

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki sniffs. She means it to be belittling of this Spirit of Disharmony fellow - what an unpleasant title - but it turns into a full-out sniffle due to the current condition of her nose. ] I should be stricter with anyone who meant you serious harm.

[ And then she has to...blow said nose. It got tickly. ]

[letteropener]

[Poor Hibiki. Celestia hurriedly whisks over the new cup of tea, so the warm steam can help to ease her congested sinuses.] For some people, Discord being one of them, telling them not to do something is the surest way to get them to do it.

[priforprince]

Unpleasant as his name.

[ Hibiki takes full use of this steam, yes. ]

[letteropener]

Oh, you shouldn't be so hard on poor Discord. His threat to Equestria has been ended.

[priforprince]

I see.

[ Hibiki considers this. Like all monarchs, this Princess has left behind a precious kingdom.....

There are things she almost wants to ask, being rather maudlin from her cold.

No, she'd best not. Better instead to sniffle some more, and drink tea. ]

[letteropener]

[Celestia waits out this pregnant pause, then when nothing comes of it, begins tidying up the teapot. Leaving a mess simply wouldn't do.]

Honestly, I think Equestria is in excellent shape these days. I'm pretty sure all the thousand-year evils have been dealt with...

[priforprince]

If no one uses sentence enders, then it's a Paradise.

[ And if it's run by Celestia, Hibiki is totally down for vacances in talking pony land. ]

[letteropener]

I think you'd love Canterlot. [Hibiki would fit in well with the unicorn social set (Celestia cannot think of Hibiki as any other sort of pony), likely lapsing into games of status and power as if she were born to them.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki is a unicorn dating an alicorn and an earth pony, it's true. Ando is still a goat.

She pictures what a puniverse run by Celestia must be like. Where no sentence enders are uttered. Ever?

Ever, perhaps.... ]

The thought heals me.

[ It's true. She feels a little bit less congested. ]